News

GOP congressional hopeful says ENDA is ‘segregation’

Democrats demand apology for ‘disgusting remarks’

Published

12 years ago

February 19, 2014

Chris Johnson

Nevada Assemblyman Cresent Hardy says ENDA is “segregation” (Photo public domain).

A Republican candidate running for Congress in Nevada said he opposes the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because the pro-LGBT measure would amount to “segregation” under the law.

Cresent Hardy, a Nevada Assembly member, expressed opposition to ENDA in an interview with the Las Vegas Sun on Tuesday — the same day he launched his congressional bid.

“When we create classes, we create that same separation that we’re trying to unfold somehow,” Hardy was quoted as saying. “By continuing to create these laws that are what I call segregation laws, it puts one class of a person over another. We are creating classes of people through these laws.”

The long-sought measure, passed by the U.S. Senate and pending in the U.S. House, would prohibit employers from discriminating against or firing someone because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

As an Assembly member, Hardy voted against a state law extending job protections to transgender workers before it was signed in 2011 by Gov. Brian Sandoval, a Republican.

Meanwhile, Rep. Steve Horsford (D-Nev.), the Democratic incumbent Hardy is challenging, is among the 201 sponsors of ENDA in the U.S. House. Both U.S. senators from Nevada, Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. Dean Heller (R-Nev.), voted for ENDA on the Senate floor late last year, where it passed on a bipartisan basis.

In addition to expressing opposition to ENDA, Hardy, a Mormon, also reportedly expressed opposition to same-sex marriage based on his religious beliefs, saying the issue should be left to the states.

I will always vote against same sex marriage because of my religious beliefs, the way I was raised,” Hardy was quoted as saying. “For me to vote for it would be to deny the same God that I believe in.”

Hardy is the middle of a primary fight for the Republican nomination to represent Nevada’s 4th congressional district in the U.S. House. He’s facing a challenge from Tea Party activist Niger Innis. The primary is set for June 10.

Zach Hudson, communications director for the Nevada State Democratic Party, criticized Hardy for expressing opposition to ENDA despite widespread public support for the measure, calling on the candidate to apologize for the remarks.

“Only months after Nevada Republicans cheered at the prospect of minorities not voting and said they would vote to legalize slavery if their constituents wanted it, Cresent Hardy piled on yesterday and compared the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to ‘segregation,’” Hudson said. “The Employment Non-Discrimination Act would end employment discrimination based off sexual orientation, yet somehow Cresent Hardy thinks it is comparable to a discriminatory practice that the Supreme Court rightly ruled unconstitutional decades ago. Cresent Hardy clearly needs a history lesson, and, more importantly, Nevadans deserve an apology for his disgusting remarks.”

UPDATE: Following the publication of this posting, Hardy issued a statement via his campaign to the Washington Blade to clarify his position on ENDA.

“I believe in advancement through performance,” Hardy said. “There is no room for discrimination in the workplace at any level and I strongly oppose laws to hold back, or advance, a person strictly based upon a label or grouping. Political spin doctors will twist that comment in ways that benefit those that fund their activities. The truth is, I support workplace laws that reward those who do the best job regardless of who they are. Any suggestion otherwise is simply not true.”

The campaign also pointed to a subsequent article published by the Las Vegas Sun with the full transcript of the interview. Although Hardy did suggest ENDA amounts to “segregation” under the law, he also said “you shouldn’t discriminate against anybody.”

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North Carolina

Authorities investigate officer-involved shooting outside Asheville gay bar

Incident took place near Shakey’s on Wednesday

Published

2 days ago

July 17, 2026

Emma LaPointe

(Photo by chalabala/Bigstock)

An officer-involved shooting outside of a gay dive bar, Shakey’s, in downtown Asheville, N.C., left one man dead Wednesday.

The bar released a statement the following morning regarding the incident, stating that bar staff had asked a patron to leave earlier in the night citing concerning behavior. The bar said that later the man was spotted with a gun in the parking lot.

The bar proceeded to call 911, locked the doors to the establishment, and followed dispatcher instructions on how to keep patrons of the bar safe while officers arrived. These protocols included getting patrons away from the windows and staying low to the ground.

According to Shakey’s, shots were fired outside of the business. When the Asheville Police Department officers arrived, they fired back. The individual died from their injuries, according to the police.

“Because of everyone’s quick actions, cooperation, and concern for one another, every customer and every employee inside Shakey’s made it home safely. We are incredibly thankful,” Shakey’s said on their Instagram page. They thanked Asheville police, emergency dispatchers, EMS, and all first responders who were on scene.

On Thursday, a spokesperson for the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Chad Flowers, stated that the suspect involved in the shooting was Arturo Castillo Palomar.

The Washington Blade reached out to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for a comment regarding the possibility of the event being considered a hate crime. They said the issue is currently under investigation and that the findings would be turned over to the district attorney for review.

Baltimore

Popular Mount Vernon gay bar Leon’s to temporarily close after owner’s death

Ron Singer passed away on July 7

Published

2 days ago

July 17, 2026

Baltimore Banner

Leon’s Backroom Bar in Mount Vernon. (Photo by Jessica Gallagher for the Baltimore Banner)

By WESLEY CASE | Leon’s Backroom, Baltimore’s oldest gay bar, temporarily shut down after service on Wednesday night, according to a post on the business’s Instagram page.

The announcement comes a little more than a week after the death of the Mount Vernon bar’s owner, Ron Singer, who died at 66 on July 7.

The rest of this article can be found on the Baltimore Banner’s website.

Local

Comings & Goings

New garden center offers array of products in Rehoboth

Published

2 days ago

July 17, 2026

Peter Rosenstein

Bay Laurel Home & Garden is located just outside Rehoboth on Route 1.

The Comings & Goings column is about sharing the professional successes of our community. We want to recognize those landing new jobs, new clients for their business, joining boards of organizations and other achievements. Please share your successes with us at [email protected].

Congratulations to Stuart Ortel and Scott Marker, and Dave Lyons and Rick Hardy, on the recent opening of their garden center on Route 1 in Rehoboth Beach, in the former Farmer Girl site. It is called Bay Laurel Home and Garden and debuted earlier this year. The four owners are all well known to the denizens of Rehoboth Beach.

Stuart and Scott have been active members of the Rehoboth Beach community since 1999. Stuart is a landscape architect, and has established relationships with many local folks in the building and landscape industry. When this opportunity for Bay Laurel Home & Garden presented itself, and they had the perfect team of people in place, he and Scott were committed to making it a reality. So, when Scott and Stuart introduced this opportunity to create a new garden center to Dave and Rick, they embraced the chance to cultivate a business where beautiful plants, inspiring home and garden products, and outstanding customer service come together. Dave and Rick knew about owning a business in Rehoboth as they previously owned Coho’s Market, where they discovered firsthand the value of serving their community, and the rewards of running a locally owned business.

The garden center launched with a refreshed brand identity, updated merchandising, and expanded product lines, all designed to create an inspiring and welcoming environment for your home. Bay Laurel Home & Garden offers a beautifully appointed garden center and curated home and gift shop.

The new center features a full nursery with annuals, perennials, shrubs, trees, and seasonal selections; a garden center offering pottery, fountains, and garden ornamentation, and essential tools and garden supplies. It has a garden shop featuring unique indoor/outdoor furnishings and accessories, and a gift shop featuring botanical and coastal style items for home and entertaining.